By the eastern mountain range and the Magdalena valley, Bucaramanga is a city in Santander where you can see lush landscapes and modern architecture.
The city has a very distinctive feel thanks to the greenery of its many parks. In fact, Bucaramanga is known as the ‘City of Parks‘.
What are the best places to see in Bucaramanga
1. San Pío Park
Urban park with a famous statue by Botero called ‘Mujer de Pie desnuda’. It is the perfect place in Bucaramanga to stroll, play sports and even have a picnic. Its real name is Guillermo Sorzano Park, in honour of the doctor, politician and mayor of Bucaramanga in 1953. It opened in 1964 and is one of the largest green lungs of the city.
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2. Museum of Modern Art of Bucaramanga
A cultural centre with modern art and sculptures in the garden. The centre was created after an exhibition of a group of artists from Santander was vandalised during an event at the Casa de la Cultura de Piedecuesta in 1985. This incident made evident the need to realise the common desire of artists and intellectuals to have a space dedicated to the promotion, study and dissemination of contemporary art.
You can find works by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, or Juan O’Gorman. It houses one of the largest collections of Mexican art of the 20th century, made up of around 3,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings and engravings in a constant process of cataloguing and integration.
Open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, and from 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. On Saturdays you can visit it from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
3. Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia
The Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia in Bucaramanga is a monument dedicated to the country’s religious architecture. The imposing structure, which includes a yellow and green dome, stands out on the busy 36th Street, covering a total space of 72.20 metres long and 32.50 metres wide.
In 1952, Pope Pius XII declared the Sagrada Família to be the Cathedral of the Diocese, an important event for this monument. The temple went from being an ordinary parish church for the celebration of ecclesiastical activities to becoming the official seat of the Bishop.
It is among the most important and well-known religious buildings in Bucaramanga. Its gleaming white façade and ornate interior make it a striking landmark, even more so when illuminated at night. The church is open from 6:00 until 18:00.
4. Kusamanes Interactive Park
A very pleasant place to spend time with the family, full of vegetation, animals, sports and recreation. It has tracks for ATVs or buggies, a lake where you can zipline, paintballing, animals, as well as birds you can feed and learn about.
The park opens its doors to its customers on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am until 6 pm. There is a cafeteria and restaurant where they have a menu of the day, their specialties are typical Santanderean food and range from $3.10 to $9.80.
5. Casa del Libro Total
It is a cultural centre that preserves chronicles, anecdotes and stories about the history of Bucaramanga, Santander. Its fascinating building was once a colonial house that was restored to become a cultural and technology centre.
The Casa del Libro Total is one of many cultural centres in the city. Other similar ones you can find in Bucaramanga are the Casa Mario Acevedo and the Palacio de la Gobernación.
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What to see around Bucaramanga?
1. Cerro del Santísimo Park
If you decide to climb the Cerro del Santísimo, you will enjoy a breathtaking view while also appreciating this immense 40-metre high statue of Jesus. Located in Floridablanca, El Santísimo, the main attraction of the Ecoparque, guards the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga.
The monumental sculpture is 38 metres high and weighs approximately 40 tons. Its silhouette is that of a man with long hair, covered by a tunic and with his hand raised upwards.
At the top of the figure, visitors can appreciate a magnificent landscape, where a 40-metre high panoramic platform offers a 360° view of the city. Access is via modern panoramic lifts.
The entrance with the cable car costs 20,000 pesos for general admission and 10,000 pesos for seniors and children over 2 years old. There’s a lift just behind the santísimo to get a better view of the city and it costs 5,000 pesos.
2. Eloy Valenzuela Botanical Garden
The Eloy Valenzuela Botanical Garden is a large botanical garden located in Floridablanca in northeastern Colombia. It is named in honour of the botanist, Juan Eloy Valenzuela y Mantilla.
Travellers can see 3,500 species of native plants such as orchids, heliconias and snails. In this 7.5-hectare space you can see palms, mosses and ferns, as well as squirrels, butterflies, ducks and iguanas, among other animals. It is open from 8:00 to 17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday.
3. Community Environmental Museum of Floridablanca
The Mucaf, unique in South America, is the only climate change museum in the country, the third of its kind in the world. The others are Klimahaus in Bremerhaven, Germany; Museo Comunitario del Cambio Climático in Chiapas, Mexico; and Museo Comunitario Ambiental de Floridablanca, Mucaf.
Through a historical journey through images and sculptures, the visitor learns about the scope, consequences and possible solutions from individual and collective action, on issues such as: climate change, threatened biodiversity in Santander (open rooms), clean energy, climate risk management, environmental education, sustainable human values (under construction).
Finally, the Floridablanca meteorological centre crowns the top floor of the museum.
4. Chicamocha Canyon
The Chicamocha Canyon is a unique place in Bucaramanga. Also known as Panachi, it is a Colombian national level natural park along the Chicamocha Canyon (Cañón del Chicamocha) located 50 km from the city of Bucaramanga, Santander. You will be captivated from the first moment due to its depth of 2,000-metre, which makes it the second largest canyon on the planet.
The park has a cable car that crosses the Chicamocha Canyon, as well as parking spaces, viewpoints and many trails. This tourist destination is one of the most attractive in the country and is home to the Chicamocha National Park.
5. Girón Heritage Village
San Juan de Girón, one of Colombia’s 17 lesser-known heritage towns, is located just 9 kilometres (less than 6 miles) from the centre of Bucaramanga and is perfect for a day trip to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. With almost 500 years of history, beautiful cobbled streets, whitewashed walls and a laid-back attitude, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a different era. Its location in a deep valley makes it much warmer than nearby Bucaramanga.
Where to stay in Bucaramanga?
- Hotel Chicamocha Bucaramanga: This 4-star hotel is a 15-minute walk from San Pio Park and 2 km from Coliseo Peralta Theatre. It has 3 restaurants, an outdoor pool, spa and gym. Rooms are around 70 euros per night. The hotel has its own congress centre, with 7 versatile rooms, a 500-seat auditorium and a total capacity for 1,300 people.
- Hotel Dann Carlton: With four stars, this elegant hotel is located in the residential neighbourhood of Sotomayor, 13 minutes walk from the Museum of Modern Art of Bucaramanga and 23 km from the international airport of Palonegro. The room costs between 60 and 70 euros.
- Hotel Oviedo real: priced at 14 euros a night and with three stars, this accommodation is located in the residential area next to the imposing Viaducto Provincial and the Mercado Campesino, where fresh produce is sold.
- Hotel Palmeras de Marina: At just under 10 euros per night, this simple budget hotel offers discreet rooms, a lounge and parking included.
Where and what to eat in Bucaramanga?
With an exotic cuisine, the region is known for eating culonas ants, a variety of sweets, goat and pepitoria, in addition to a wide variety of international and specialised restaurants.
- Restaurant La Puerta del Sol: Restaurant with a relaxed and cosy atmosphere and a terrace, serving traditional dishes from Santander. With more than 65 years of experience, it has been nominated for best traditional food in Colombia for three consecutive years.
- La Cevichería: try a tasty ceviche, an appealing laing and tender salads. You can accompany it with cherry frape lemonade and mint frape lemonade. The restaurant offers a very pleasant atmosphere on the fifth floor of the Mall, we had live music.
- Cholula: Mexican food. Simple and colourful restaurant with a patio, serving classic Mexican-style dishes, snacks and cocktails.
How to get to Bucaramanga?
Bucaramanga is connected to the capital of Colombia at a distance of 384 kilometres. You can travel by car from the city of Cúcuta, the Caribbean coast or Medellín via Puerto Berrío. Another option is by plane from Palonegro International Airport (BGA). You can go directly to the city of Bucaramanga from more than 25 airports in the main cities of the country and from abroad with the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City.
What should I consider before travelling to Bucaramanga?
- We are in a pandemic, but vaccination has been essential to avoid leaving the country with a virus beforehand. Getting vaccinated before going to Columbia can save you from spending a few days in bed.
- Bucaramanga’s climate is tropical, so stay cool and bring an umbrella.
- The Colombian peso is the legal currency in the country. You can identify it by the abbreviation COP and, locally, by the sign pesos ($).
How to plan your trip to Bucaramanga?
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its useful features.
- Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location.
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
- Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of every place you’ve visited to the app and recommend to other travellers all the things to do in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
If you have any doubts about how to plan your itinerary, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
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